Lectures

In October 2009 we started a new series of lectures. It is impossible to cover all the arts in nine lectures but we believe that you will find much to enjoy in this diverse programme. All our lecturers are chosen from the list approved by Nadfas which carefully selects them for their ability to educate and entertain us.

Wednesday 7th October 2009
The Cult of the South Pacific: From Cook to Gauguin
Leslie Primo

This lecture looked at the enduring Western obsession with the so called “exotic” or “noble savage” and its invention. This started with the discovery of Tahiti in 1767. The impact of this obsession was charted through painted images of the island and its people. The English and European influence in this part of the world was explored. Sir Joshua Reynolds’ involvement in these new discoveries was also traced through his paintings. The lecture ended with the experiences and discoveries of Paul Gauguin.

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Wednesday 4th November 2009
Understanding Abstract Art
Lynne Gibson

The lecturer posed the following questions. What is abstract art? Is it the same thing as pattern? Who invented it and why? How can I understand and evaluate it?

Her lecture addressed these and many other questions by looking at some of the key artworks and ideas through the Modern period.

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Wednesday 2nd December 2009
Unwrapping the Christmas Story
Pamela Halford

Our speaker unwrapped some of the many layers of history, custom and myth that make up Christmas: the nativity, decking the halls, cards, food, presents and much more.

Pamela Halford discussed paintings, verse and prose in a lecture which she enlivened with humourous anecdotes.

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Wednesday 3rd February 2010
Cuban Architectural Panorama
Mervyn Miller

Cuba’s architectural heritage dates back to the Spanish Colonization in 1517.This lecture will illustrate and describe this heritage ranging from Spanish Colonial, through Neo-Classical, to Art Deco and Revolutionary Functionalism in Havana, a World Heritage City, and two important provincial cities.

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Wednesday 3rd March 2010
The impact of Handel and his Music on 300 years of British Culture
Peter Medhurst

Not only did Handel’s music have a direct influence on his musical contemporaries, but his larger- than- life personality had a profound effect on the literary, visual and decorative arts as well, both in his lifetime and after his death in 1759.This lecture assesses the cultural influences Handel had on a nation, as he once wrote, from which I received so generous a protection.

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Wednesday 7th April 2010
Grace and Favour? The History and Architecture of Almshouses
Anna Hallett

Who were the founders and why did they leave money for the maintenance of elderly people? What rules governed these institutions? What was daily life like for the almspeople and who cared for them? These questions will be addressed in this lecture as well as the history and architecture of the almshouses.

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Wednesday 5th May 2010
Houses and Gardens of the Bordeaux Region
Helen McCabe

Walnut groves in the Perigord, the vineyards round Bordeaux itself and the banks of the river Dordogne are the setting for the chateaux and manoirs we shall see. The architecture of medieval castles, of 17C chateaux, of 18C townhouses and of quirky seaside villas along with the famous wine chateaux will be discussed. The architecture of all these reflects the culture of Aquitaine, a region whose medieval past is inextricably linked with our own.

We shall also look at three gardens which show how sophisticated and beautiful French gardens can be.

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Wednesday 2nd June 2010
Replacement lecture.
Pearls before Swine? The long history of a Royal Necklace.
Jane Kelsall.

We shall hear about the interesting journey of a magnificent collection of pearls from their beginning as a wedding present from Pope Clement VII to his niece Catherine de Medici, who became Queen of France. She passed them on to her daughter-in-law, Mary Queen of Scots. They were later acquired by Queen Elizabeth and passed through the British royal family. Queen Victoria and her uncle, the King of Hanover had a lenghy legal battle over their ownership. Queen Elizabeth II wears some of the pearls but where are the others?

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Wednesday 7th July 2010
The Scottish Colourists
Vivien Heffernan

It would be hard to find a more exciting and inventive group of artists than Peploe, Cadell, Ferguson and Hunter. Painting mainly in Edinburgh and France, they produced some of the most dramatically colourful, progressive and admired works of the 20th Century. The lecture explores their landscapes, portraits and still-lifes, paying particular attention to the vibrant sensual colour, expressive brushwork and sense of rhythm and design. The freshness and optimism of these works is a delight.

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For details of reading lists for these lectures please contact lectures@rlsdfas.org.uk

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